Congressman Payne wanted to be here to testify, but he is in Newark with the President today. Congressman Franks is also going to testify with respect to his views. We are going to hear today from Congressman Fossella about this issue. Not surprisingly, they have been unable to resolve them to everyone's satisfaction. The FAA has spent a great deal of time and effort in attempting to resolve some of these issues. In the ensuing years, noise has become a big issue in the surrounding communities. Subsequent to these accidents straight-out departures were banned at Newark. While the planes' routing did not cause the crash, the lives on the ground that were lost would not have been at risk had the planes not been flying over the city. In 19, there were three plane crashes over the city of Elizabeth, within just a few months, killing people who were both on the planes and also on the ground. PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC Segment 2 Of 2 Straight-out departures used to be standard operating procedure at Newark until the early 1950's. Flying straight out of runway 22 would route the planes over Elizabeth, New Jersey, and other communities southwest of the airport. He would like to have the planes fly straight out of runway 22 and thus keep the noise tracks away from his district.

This has led to an increase in noise complaints from the residents of Staten Island who are Congressman Fossella's constituents. In doing this, the airplanes often fly over a corner or part of Staten Island. Currently when planes fly out of Newark on runway 22 they turn left and fly out over the Arthur Kill to try and keep the noise over the New Jersey communities at lower levels. Our friend Vito is particularly interested in a procedure called a straight-out departure from runway 22 at Newark. Now noise problems still exist and we are revisiting a certain part of this issue at the request of Congressman Fossella. We heard from members and communities in New York and New Jersey. This subcommittee held a hearing in 1995 to discuss this issue. It is in an area that has had many noise problems because of the huge numbers of people who live nearby. Newark International Airport is in a particularly difficult situation. The difficult issue is trying to limit the noise over all communities. Unfortunately, the reality is that planes make noise, and of course they must fly somewhere and we have great increases in all types of air traffic nowair passenger traffic, air cargo traffic and so forth. Noise, of course, is a very controversial issue affecting communities that surround airports. We are here today to discuss noise issues in and around Newark International Airport at the request of Congressman Fossella. I would like to call this hearing of the Aviation Subcommittee to order. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9:30 a.m., in room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, D.C.

Straight Out Departures at Newark Airport Segment 2 Of 2 Previous Hearing Segment(1) SPEAKERS CONTENTS INSERTS PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC Segment 2 Of 2 STRAIGHT-OUT DEPARTURES FROM NEWARK AIRPORT

Newark airport runway